goalkeeper

American  

[gohl-kee-per] / ˈgoʊlˌki pər /

noun

goalkeepers plural

1. (in ice hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, etc.) a player whose chief duty is to prevent the ball or puck from crossing or entering the goal.

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goalkeeper British  

/ ˈɡəʊlˌkiːpə /

noun

1. sport a player in the goal whose duty is to prevent the ball, puck, etc, from entering or crossing it

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Usage

What does goalkeeper mean? In sports like soccer (football) and hockey, the goalkeeper is the player positioned in front of the goal whose job is to prevent the ball or puck from entering it (or crossing the goal line). Goalkeeper can be used to refer to the position or the player. A goalkeeper might say they play goalkeeper. A common informal word for goalkeeper is goalie. In some sports, a goalkeeper is called a goaltender. In soccer, the goalkeeper is sometimes called the keeper. Example: When I played soccer, I was the goalkeeper, and I was pretty good, especially because I was quick and had long arms for my age.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• goalkeeping
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• goalkeepers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of goalkeeper

First recorded in 1650–60; goal + keeper

Example Sentences

Goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, on the other hand, has been called on to make just five saves.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also had notes from detailed research of the opponents' likely approach written on his water bottle.

From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake in the 50th minute, failing to stop what appeared to be a simple cross and bobbling the ball.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel was 18 years old and playing for Chivas de Guadalajara’s youth academy the last time Mexico faced South Korea in a World Cup match in 2018.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

Goalkeeper Angus Gunn spoke later and sounded glum.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026